Physician perceptions of nurse practitioners: a replication study.

PURPOSE

To replicate and update findings from an earlier study on the perceived incentives of physicians to work with nurse practitioners (NPs).

DATA SOURCES

Four hundred and three questionnaires were mailed to NPs who distributed them to their collaborating physicians.

CONCLUSION

Physicians ranked "accessibility to health care" and the "quality of care" as equally important and more important than "physician satisfaction" and "economic incentives." The findings were consistent with findings from the earlier study; however, the original study demonstrated a much clearer distinction among the four groups of incentives.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

These findings imply that collaboration between physicians and NPs is maturing as NPs move into more arenas in health care.